The shout for a king like the other nations still reverberates through churches today. The cry is not so much verbalized from the pulpit, as it is demonstrated through a church’s approach to ministry and their undergirding values. The effect is the same that the nation of Israel experienced: churches become less of a distinct kingdom on earth and more of a mirror of the broader culture.

The people wanted a king. Or, to be more exact, the people wanted a different king. That’s the story of 1 Samuel 8. The Lord formed Israel to be a kingdom under his rule and reign. He was their king, but the nation demanded to have a ruler like all of the other nations. Rather than having the sovereign Lord of the universe as their King, the people would settle for a finite ruler that they could see and touch.

The prophet Samuel was enraged, but the Lord allowed the people to bow down to Saul, knowing that it would only bring disappointment and dissatisfaction.

The shout for a king like the other nations still reverberates through churches today. The cry is not so much verbalized from the pulpit, as it is demonstrated through a church’s approach to ministry and their undergirding values. The effect is the same that the nation of Israel experienced: churches become less of a distinct kingdom on earth and more of a mirror of the broader culture.

Some churches have opted to parrot secular culture by replacing the gospel message with a message of self-actualization. Rather than addressing sin and encouraging folks to grow in Christlikeness through faith and repentance, categories like sin remain ignored or explained away with secular psychology. This leads to a message that is focused on finding fulfillment in your self rather than repenting and finding your identity in Jesus.

Likewise, consider the political fervor that occupies so many churches over the last few years. The Christian hope is not in Caesar (or any modern ruler), but many brothers and sisters in my own theological circles more passionately preach the politics of the American Right than the universe-encompassing gospel of Jesus Christ. Can we not hear echoes of “We want a king like the other nations” in our flurry of political Facebook posts or our worship services that honor earthly kingdoms instead of the risen King of kings? Does our tone on social media not sound more like the proud, chest-beating that you see on cable news than the humble, cross-bearing attitude we have in Jesus?

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